The HiveMind Interviews: Sharing the secrets of successful Fintechs

In this episode of Hivemind, Stephen Lemon, co-founder of Currency Cloud, shares insights from his entrepreneurial journey, discussing the challenges and triumphs of building a fintech company. He reflects on the importance of product market fit, the role of APIs in innovation, and the significance of strategic partnerships. Stephen also emphasizes the lessons learned from near failures, the value...

David Brear is the co-founder and CEO of 11:FS, the consultancy and venture builder reshaping how financial services think about digital. Known for his mantra that “banking is only 1% finished,” David is one of the most recognized voices in fintech, helping institutions reimagine products, services, and customer experience for a digital-first world.   David shares the story of leaving corporate li...

In this episode of Hivemind, host James Barker is joined by Goran Bosankić, former CEO of ABC Tech and co-founder of Field39. Together, they unpack the evolution of fintech, explore the fallout from the 2021 hype cycle, and dive deep into what’s next for digital banking platforms. Goran offers hard-won insights from building and leading tech companies through crises, speaks frankly about AI’s true...

In this conversation, Irene Sandler, CMO of Mechanical Orchard, discusses the importance of understanding market fit and the critical problems that need solving for startups. She emphasizes the role of AI in modernizing legacy systems and the need for clear messaging to target audiences. The discussion also covers the challenges of B2B marketing in the age of AI, the evolution of LinkedIn, and the...

What happens when a D&D-playing data scientist decides the banking industry needs a developer-first overhaul? In this episode of The Hivemind, I speak with David Jarvis, co-founder and CEO of Griffin, the UK’s platform bank built for fintech builders. We dive deep into David’s unconventional path to becoming a founder—from flunked coding interviews to launching one of the most talked-about inf...

Discover how Simon Rogerson, co-founder of Octopus Group, turned 15,000 cold calls into a £13 billion financial powerhouse by challenging industry norms. Insights on entrepreneurship, purpose-driven leadership, and scaling innovation. In this episode of James Barker’s Studio, we sit down with Simon Rogerson, the entrepreneurial force behind Octopus Group—one of the UK’s most innovative financial s...

In this episode, James Barker and Simon Lyons explore the real story behind Open Banking — from its origins to the complex market dynamics shaping its future. We dive into key trends in fintech, payments, credit scoring, consumer behavior, and corporate banking innovation. Whether you're a fintech enthusiast, startup founder, or corporate strategist, this conversation will challenge the way you th...

What does it really take to build a bank from the ground up? In this episode of The HiveMind Podcast, I sit down with Steve Britain, co-founder of Monument Bank and CEO of Monument Technology, to discuss scaling fintech, regulatory hurdles, and the future of banking technology.   From securing a banking license to navigating fundraising and launching a new tech company, Steve shares invaluable les...

💡 How do businesses really succeed in sales today? In this episode of The HiveMind Podcast, I sit down with Anthony Bream, a seasoned go-to-market strategist, to uncover the biggest sales and marketing mistakes, how buyer behavior is shifting, and why aligning sales, marketing, and product is critical for long-term growth.   🚀 We cover practical strategies to fix your GTM motion, improve forecas...

I talk to Nigel Verdon about his entrepreneurial journey, including 3 companies with exists and 1 unicorn. Nigel is an engineer by trade and you can see this in how he approaches company building. I don't think I've spoken to another founder with such a clear and elegant understanding of all the moving parts. You'll understand why when you watch the episode. - Succession planning and how he knew w...

Joakim, the founder of Minna Technologies, shares his journey from the inception of the company to its acquisition by MasterCard. He discusses the challenges of being a founder, the importance of co-founders, navigating fundraising, and the complexities of selling to banks. Joakim emphasizes the significance of understanding customer needs, the transition from B2C to enterprise sales, and the less...

David Ferguson is the CEO of SECCL, a new wealth tech company. He joins me to talk about their growth journey as part of Octopus group, and why creating happy customers that are your biggest fans is the ultimate growth hack.

Most companies spend tens of thousands on SEO, Adwords and Events, but don't invest in a channel with massive reach that's totally FREE.  Justin and George are the Batman and Robin of LinkedIn content and share their thoughts on why so many execs are missing out.

What is the reality of creating a Fintech from nothing and getting it to a strong product-market fit? Mast has successfully challenged the legacy lending origination space and is growing quickly - but it's not been easy. CEO, Joy Abisaab shares his experiences from the journey of building Mast. 

Banks and technology vendors are constantly tripping over obstacles that are easily avoided, if we're paying attention. I talk to Leda about the realities of selling to, and buying, technology in banks and financial services. Listen to our conversation to understand and avoid the mistakes that too many make.

There are lots of founders but very few successful exits. I talk to the founder of DUCO on his journey from incepting a business, scaling it and finally handing over in a planned succession. Christian is one of my favour

Launching a B2B technology business is difficult, but infrastructure and category creation make it doubly-complex. Ivan Maryasin, CEO of Monite, talked with me about their journey including How they made a BIG pivot, Creating a fully remote company, How they hire the best talent, and Fine-tuning a GTM strategy

The KYC market is established and even quite crowded, but Sumsub has had remarkable success in this area, reaching significant scale and profitability after only 2 rounds of funding. But what's their story? I talked to Ilya about, Picking a niche, being in the right place at the right time, their product-led approach to growth 

I invited Ewan Back for a second round to discuss AI Chatbots, the role of content in connecting with prospects and building brand, and what does anyone mean when they say 'Fintech'. A broad ranging discussion or 'fintech rant'. Join us for our two cents.

2023 was a tough year. With the end of ZIRP leading to a funding challenging environment, the whole industry had to reset on the new reality. But what did that mean for the roles being hired and the profiles needed? This is just one of the things Dexter and I discussed in this episode.

Events are an important channel for vendors to connect with buyers, but how can they optimise either attendance or sponsorship? I talked to Fintech Week London CEO, Raf De Kimpe, in advance of the event next week to learn about what they have planned, get an inside look and talk about how vendors and buyers can make the most of the experience.

Emma Hatto, Co-founder of Psychometric testing company Thrive, talks to me about how companies can make sure they get the right people in the right roles using a range of testing - from apptitute to cultural fit, how to implement, and the relevance to commercial roles

Whether you call them pre-sales or 'Solution Engineers', there can be little doubt that having subject matter experts (SME's) involved is a critical part of any enterprise technology sale. My guests this week are Fintech Pre-Sales royalty - Robin Bultot of Backbase, and Alexey Lapusta of Plumery have both led unicorn pre-sales teams.

People say that cold-calling doesn't work any more. People are wrong! We were joined by Owen Richards, the CEO of Air Marketing who offer outsources SDR / BDM outbound sales. HIVE MIND podcast is created by GTM HIVE, a specialist FinTech sales and GTM strategy consultancy.

Ever wondered what CTO's of banks REALLY think about buying technology? Want to know what the process looks like for them? In this episode we talk to ex-Chief Digital Officer of Tier 1 Bank Nordea, Ewan Macleod, who shares his insights from a buyers perspective, as well as some helpful advice on how to engage technology execs.